As the crimson glyphs locked into place, sealing off the arena, Zane felt it—a sudden rush, like chains snapping off his soul. The restriction was gone. His powers were back.
Kaela's eyes gleamed.
> "Now... show me what the Void truly holds."
Zane smirked and took a step forward.
> "Shadow Armor: Full Manifestation."
Darkness surged from him like a living storm. The ground cracked beneath his feet. His body became encased in a sleek, obsidian armor—his eyes glowing a deep violet. Wings of black fire spread from his back, crackling with Void energy.
The Endblade materialized in his hand with a deep, resonant hum.
Kaela raised her hand and drew a crimson glyph midair.
> "You may use your full strength. I insist."
Zane vanished in a flicker of black light.
The air imploded as he appeared behind her, swinging the Endblade in a devastating arc. Kaela ducked effortlessly, twisting her fingers in the air as bloodfire tendrils erupted from the ground. Zane leapt into the air, dodging left and slicing through one of the tendrils with a spinning slash.
> "Tch. Her flames... they're eating my mana," Zane muttered.
> "My flames don't just burn—they erase magic itself. Let's see how the Void fares."
Zane narrowed his eyes. He dove forward, chaining slashes, each one faster than the last. Kaela blocked with fluid precision, her arms glowing with protective glyphs.
Suddenly, Zane vanished again—Shadow Step—and reappeared above her.
He came down like a meteor, the Endblade glowing with unstable energy. Kaela summoned a barrier, but it cracked under the weight of his strike, hurling her back.
She landed gracefully, one hand sliding along the floor.
A thin cut on her cheek. She touched it, grinned.
> "Finally, some heat."
Kaela's aura flared. Symbols etched in ancient crimson rotated around her. The entire arena trembled as she raised her hand toward the sky. A massive glyph formed in the air—a seal of bloodfire.
The seal dropped like a meteor.
Zane raised his wings to block, forming a dome of shadows, but the flames seared through. His armor cracked. His energy dipped.
> "If I don't end this now..."
He took a breath. Shadows coiled around him like serpents. His eyes burned bright.
He stabbed the Endblade into the ground and shouted:
A shockwave of absolute darkness burst out from Zane, expanding rapidly in a dome. Everything inside slowed—the air grew still, the magic in the glyphs froze mid-spin.
> "You... canceled my magic?"
The entire arena fell silent.
Inside the Null Zone, Zane dashed forward, his body moving faster than sound. He struck Kaela squarely in the chest with the hilt of his blade, sending her skidding back.
But she recovered quickly—too quickly.
> "Impressive," she whispered, blood trickling from her mouth. "But not enough."
The glyphs shattered, the spell broke, and time resumed.
Zane fell to one knee, drained.
Kaela walked toward him, composed but breathing slightly heavier.
> "You're strong, Zane. Stronger than most. But the Void doesn't just give—it takes."
She extended a hand to help him up.
> "Rest. Your training is just beginning."